


night terrors

by The_Empress_of_Everything



Series: The Great Collection [23]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Dai Matou Enbu | Grand Magic Games Arc, F/M, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-09 20:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12896484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Empress_of_Everything/pseuds/The_Empress_of_Everything
Summary: He couldn't sleep. He never could, really. Years in prison had screwed with his sleep schedule and a good night's rest eluded him. But hearing her sobs had pulled him from the chair and across the room.





	night terrors

He couldn’t sleep. He never could, really. Years in prison had screwed with his sleep schedule and a good night’s rest eluded him. Add the stress of hunting for the source of Zeref’s power at the Grand Magic Games and being forced to participate and there was no way he was sleeping tonight. 

His roommates, the rest of Fairy Tail’s Team B, had retired for the night. Cana, Mirajane, and Juvia had claimed the biggest bed and all three were cuddled together in a big lump of girls. There’d been a silent glare off over the second bed that Laxus had won, much to Gajeel’s disgruntlement. He in turn claimed the fold out bed, which left Jellal with the armchair in the corner. 

It was fine, though. He didn’t want to take a bed from someone who would actually sleep. 

He woke an hour later from a light doze to the sound of whimpering. In the moonlight, he peered at the girls’ bed. On the edge, having pulled away from the cuddle pile, was Juvia. He knew a bit more than he ever would’ve about the water Mage from Meredy. Just from his observations, she seemed like a kind, if excitable, young woman. There was pain lurking in the depths of her watery eyes, however. It wasn’t a new pain. This was an older pain, a pain she’d been carrying her whole life. 

Now she was tossing restlessly and continued to whimper. Her face contorted in pained expressions. One hand grasped the pillow in a stranglehold, her face was coated in a sheen of sweat, and she seemed overwhelmingly distraught. Juvia’s face twisted again and this time she cried out, lost in the grip of her dreams. 

Jellal rose from the chair, unfolding himself fluidly, and ghosted across the floor to her side. He hesitated for a moment before resting a hand gently on her shoulder. “Juvia,” he whispered, giving her a gentle shake. Displaying what had to be years of paranoia and experience, Juvia’s blue eyes shot open and she sprang forward out of the bed with a near silent hiss. Even with her sudden movements, she didn’t wake either of her bedmates. Her hands reached for his throat easily and just as easily, Jellal caught her wrists. 

He was duly impressed. She’d done all that while not being conscious and yet her aim was impeccable. He saw now why she was such a great opponent. “Hey, hey, calm down, they can’t hurt you anymore,” Jellal soothed. “They’re just dreams. Dreams aren’t real, Juvia, they can’t physically hurt you.”

Juvia’s eyes opened all the way. Jellal sighed inwardly in relief; it seemed she was back among the living. “Jellal-san?” Juvia whispered. Her eyes filled with tears and with a sob, her head dropped onto Jellal’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her a little awkwardly. Despite living alongside Ultear and Meredy for years, he was still uncomfortable around crying women. 

But as Juvia curled into his chest and cried silently, he found it wasn’t so bad. 


End file.
